Showing posts with label plant-based science. Show all posts
Showing posts with label plant-based science. Show all posts

Saturday, February 15, 2014

Dr. Michael Greger on Causes of Death



This fantastic one-hour video by Dr. Greger outlines the top 15 causes of death in the US and the scientific research behind his contention that a strict plant-based diet prevents 14 of the 15.

This video is so complete and worth watching that it requires no further commentary or explanation from little old me, except to say that everyone who is interested in preventing their own life-threatening diseases and achieving greater longevity should watch this video AND stop consuming all meat (including chicken), fish, dairy products and eggs.

Saturday, January 11, 2014

Double-Blinded by Science?


There is no question there are many opinions and points-of-view on the question of THE healthiest way to choose what you put into your body as food. And, there are many motivations by many groups with divergent agendas touting this and that diet as THE best choice for optimal human nutrition.

But, here’s the thing. I went to public school in the 1950s and 60s when math and science were taken for granted as THE best descriptions of reality and THE best way to understand the myriad diversity of the universe. So, to me, science remains kinda like a roadmap by which one can most judiciously discern the safest path through life by making choices based upon quality, peer reviewed, proven research - not wishful thinking, not based upon only conjecture but founded on repeatable, double-blind, highly scrutinized science.

I am of the opinion, which has borne out to be true, in my case at least, that prayer (or blind religious faith, as I call it) won’t prevent one from having a heart attack at age 60 if one eats a diet slathered in saturated fat and cholesterol (animal food products). Maybe it’s just me but haven't most health experts been harping on that issue for decades now? Remember the term “a double-blind study”? That’s what I’m talkin’ about!

Anyway, before this post turns into one of my typical rants about the benefits of eating plants and the exclusion of meat, eggs and dairy products, I have decided to let the scientists have the stage on this one.

So, here it is in black and white - the science behind (and somewhat in front of) the healthy plant-based way of eating.

If you’ll have a typically SAD (Standard American Diet) lunch today of double cheese burger, large fries, and a soda pop, read it and weep, my friend. But, for too few of the others (eating a combination of healthy whole grains, legumes, fruits and veggies) I say pass the heart healthy, no-cholesterol, low-fat, high-fiber kale chips, please!





Monday, December 30, 2013

The Brand Spanking New Blood Pressure Guidelines

Nature's Medicine

About 7 years ago I was diagnosed with high blood pressure, and because I was a white male over the age of 50 (I was almost 60 at the time), had blue eyes, fair complexion, and a family history of heart attack and stroke (doesn't almost everyone living in the US?), I was put on a BP medication. My cardiologist also prescribed a statin drug to boot, even though I was told I did not have atherosclerosis NOR high cholesterol. "It's just to make sure", my doctor said. "Oh, and by the way, you should loose, er, 70 pounds, too. See you in six months", he cheerfully added over his shoulder as he exited the examination room.

Well, I knew I was over weight but which leg did he think I should cut off? Or, was that small detail to be left up to me?

However, under the threat of high blood pressure induced heart attack or stroke, I did what the doctor ordered and started the regimen of four times a day BP meds and a once a day statin pill. I also began to lower my food intake and doubled my exercise schedule to 2 or 3 miles a day walking instead of every other day as I had been doing. But, after 6 months, my blood pressure wasn't lowered quite enough for the doctor's satisfaction (down to the guidelines at that moment five years ago) so he added an additional BP drug to my pill-popping schedule. But, having dutifully ramped up my exercise routine while eating less did not result in weight loss OR lower blood pressure without the meds.

I remained on this rather unsuccessful diet-exercise-meds routine for another three years. When I peaked out at 237 pounds, and my wife had type 2 diabetes and hypertension herself, we decided to take drastic action ourselves and adopted a plant-based, oil-free way of eating and quickly began to see an improvement in our health. Within 6 weeks we were able to drop all of our meds. Our blood pressures were down to the Normal Range without meds, and my wife no longer needed to take meds for diabetes because her blood sugar level was consistently nominal on our new plant diet.

After two years I have lost 45 pounds and continue to check my BP every few weeks, which is consistently around 115/70. Good news, eh?

But the better news is that newly released guidelines published in the Journal of the American Medical Association suggest that people over age 60 can have higher blood pressure than previously recommended before starting treatment to lower it. To check out this article in the New York Times. Click Here!

So, my wife and I could have saved some money (and some of the side effects of blood pressure lowering meds) by following these new guidelines instead of taking powerful drugs we apparently didn't need FOR YEARS. Rats! Duped once again by the medical establishment and their Big Pharma co-conspirators!

But, at least we found a way to eat that has helped us more than drug therapy ever could have - eating plants with no added oil, Plus, since there is no dietary cholesterol in a plant diet, no statin drugs needed either, thanks ever-so.

By the way, here's another New York Times article that points out other ways some heart specialists feather their own nests through the expense and unnecessary treatment of their trusting patients. Click here!

Authors Note: If, in the course of reading this or any other post within this blog, you detect a note of sarcasm in my tone, please be advised that this is no accident and done consciously with all the strength I can muster despite the concerted, long-term attempts by the Medical Establishment in the United States to drain my personal banking account through organized flim-flam and underhanded subterfuge facilitated by downright criminal deception, the skillful use of cleverly-manipulated propaganda disguised as marketing, and psychological terror techniques employing fear as a prime motivator.